https://www.khaama.com/foreigners-among-21-militants-killed-in-farah-airstrikes-04235
At least twenty one militants including foreign nationals were killed in the latest airstrikes conducted in western Farah province of Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Defense of Afghanistan in a statement said the new airstrikes were carried out in the vicinity of Khak-e-Safid district.
The statement further added that seven Pakistani nationals were among those killed and at least three vehicles and several weapons were also destroyed.
The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.
Farah is among the relatively restive provinces in West of Afghanistan where the anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents are actively operating in some of its districts.
A senior Taliban leader who was in charge of the Red Unit command of the group for western Farah province was killed during a counter-terrorism operation in the same district late last year.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri said the Taliban leader Daud Muzamil was initially injured in an airstrike conducted in Khak-e-Safid district and subsequently died of his wounds.
Gen. Waziri further added that Muzamil was in charge of the Red Unit command of the Taliban besides he was appointed as the military commission chief of the group for Farah.
He said at least eight people were killed in the airstrike and eight others including commander Muzamil were wounded.
According to Gen. Waziri, commander Muzamil died of the wounds he had sustained during the airstrike.
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https://www.khaama.com/15-isis-and-taliban-group-members-join-peace-in-east-of-afghanistan-04238
At least fifteen militants affiliated with the ISIS and Taliban groups joined peace process in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
According to the local government officials, at least two local leaders of the militants are also among those who reconciled with the government.
The Nangarhar governor’s spokesman Ataullah Khogyani told reporters that the Taliban and ISIS groups joined peace process due to the efforts of the Afghan intelligence operatives.
Khogyani further added that a group of 8 ISIS militants led by commander Abdul Manan and a group of 7 Taliban insurgents led by commander Faridullah laid down their arms and joined peace process.
He said the militants were previously conducting insurgency activities in Khogyani, Pacher Agam, and Chaparhar districts of Nangarhar.
According to Khogyani, the militants have also handed over a rocket along with 15 different types of weapons to thhe security forces.
Khogyani said the reconciled militants have promised that they will not join the militants ranks again.
The provincial governor’s spokesman also added that 166 militants including 44 ISIS insurgents have so far joined peace process in Nangarhar due to the efforts of the intelligence operatives.
The Nangarhar governor’s office meanwhile says that around 861 militants have joined peace process since the efforts were launched many years ago by Afghan intelligence to encourage the militants to reconciliation process.
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https://www.khaama.com/perpetrator-...bombing-arrested-by-afghan-intelligence-04241
The Afghan intelligence operatives have arrested the main perpetrator involved behind a deadly explosion in Herat city in West of Afghanistan that left nearly fifteen people dead or wounded.
The local officials said Wednesday that a suspect was arrested during an operation of the Afghan intelligence operatives from Herat city in connection to the incident.
The officials further added that the explosion in the city took place on Saturday of last week in Jabraeel town.
According to the officials, at least four people including a woman were killed and eleven others including women and children were wounded in the explosion.
The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the incident so far.
Herat is among the relatively calm provinces in West of Afghanistan but the anti-government armed militants often carry out insurgency activities in some of its remote districts as well as the central Herat city.
The Taliban insurgents are active in some remote districts of the province bordering some of the restive provinces in the West and South of Afghanistan.
In the meantime, the Afghan officials are saying that the national security and defense forces are busy conducting operations to suppress the insurgency activities of the militants across the country.
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https://www.khaama.com/us-military-investigating-afghanistan-shooting-video-04242
The US military officials have said they are investigating a video which purportedly shows a shooting incident in Afghanistan involving a US service member.
The commander of the US Central Command Gen. Joseph Votel in a statement has told Fox News “I have reviewed the video and I am disappointed and also concerned that the American people, our Coalition partners, the Afghan government, and the Afghan people will believe that American service members are callous and indifferent to the horrors of war or the suffering of innocent people trapped in conflict,” said Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command.
Gen. Votel further added “I can assure you that this video does not represent the professionalism or humanity of the men and women of U.S. Central Command. We reject the unprofessional and callous message this video conveys.”
According to the report, the US defense secretary James Mattis has also been briefed regarding the video and an investigation is underway regarding the incident.
The video which recently went viral on internet purportedly shows heavy clashes in some parts of Afghanistan although the authenticity of the video has not been verified independently so far.
In one part of the video, a soldier is seen opening fire on a truck driver as he is sitting in his parked trucked on a roadside.
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According to a statement released by the governor’s office in Nangarhar, the operation was conducted late on Wednesday night in Khogyani district.
The statement further added that the Special Forces of the Afghan Intelligence (National Directorate of Security) carried out raids on two compounds of the Taliban in Surdag area.
At least twenty Taliban insurgents including four of their commanders were killed during the operation, the statement added.
The provincial government also added that the Taliban commanders killed during the operation have been identified as Qari Hedayatullah who was also famous as Mudasir, Qari Khalid and Ismail.
The Afghan security forces also detained fourteen suspects during the operation and are currently in custody of the intelligence operatives for further investigations.
The statement by Nangarhar’s office also added that three vehicles, four motorcycles, seven landmines, twelve remote controls, and some explosives were also destroyed during the operation.
The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.
The Afghan security forces continue to their counter-terrorism operations in Nangarhar province where the anti-government armed militants are continuously attempting to expand their foothold and insurgency activities.
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https://www.khaama.com/taliban-ied-kills-4-year-old-girl-in-east-of-afghanistan-04247
A small child was killed in an explosion triggered by the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
The provincial government media office in a statement said the incident took place on Wednesday in the vicinity of Khogyani district.
The statement further added that an Improvised Explosive Device planted by the Taliban insurgents went off Aabko area, leaving the 4-year-old child dead.
The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban militants have not commented regarding the report so far.
The anti-government armed militant groups frequently use explosives materials for the roadside bombings and car bombings to target the government staff and security personnel.
However, in majority of such incidents the ordinary civilians are targeted besides such bombings incur casualties to the security personnel and in some cases the Taliban militants themselves are killed or wounded.
Earlier, at least three militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were blown up by own explosives in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
The local security officials said the incident took place late on Sunday in the vicinity of the restive Achin district.
The officials further added that the militants were looking to plant an Improvised Explosive Device in Ghani Khel area when the incident took place, leaving three of them dead.
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The Afghan Air Force continues to pound the ISIS targets in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan in response to a large scale attack which was repulsed earlier this week.
The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan army said the latest airstrikes were carried out in the vicinity of Suki district.
A statement by the Silab Corps said at least three ISIS militants were killed and a 82mm rocket launcher, 2 Ak-47s rifles were destroyed in the airstrikes.
The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the reports so far.
Kunar is among the relatively volatile provinces in East of Afghanistan where the anti-government armed militants including the Taliban and ISIS insurgents are actively operating in some of its and often carry out insurgency activities.
This comes as the 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan army in the East said Monday that the ISIS militants launched a coordinated attack on public uprising and Afghan local Police forces in Suki district.
A statement by the Silab Corps said the Afghan armed forces launched artillery and airstrikes in response to the ISIS attacks in Deriwa Gul valley.
The statement further added that twelve ISIS militants were killed and around thirty others were wounded during the operations.